Rev. Danny Fisher

(L-R) Nelson Mandela and his late great-granddaughter Zenani in 2008. Photo by Reuters.

Very, very sad news amid the hubbub surrounding the World Cup: The thirteen-year-old great-granddaughter of Nobel Peace laureate and former South African president Nelson Mandela was killed in a car crash last night while returning from the opening concert in Soweto. The driver of the other car, who has not yet been identified, was apparently driving drunk.

President Mandela has predictably cancelled his much-touted appearance at the World Cup.

My thoughts and prayers are with “Mandiba” and his family now as they mourn the loss of Zenani, and I’ve been doing tonglen for them this morning.  Here are some basic instructions in the practice if you’d like to join me.  (It’s not a bad practice to do amid the oil spill and other world crises as well.)